Chapter 9 of the Class 10 English Supplementary Reader ‘Footprints Without Feet’ consists of a prose titled – The Book That Saved the Earth is a fictional play written by Claire Bioko. This play features Martian characters named Think Tank, Noodle, Omega, Iota, and Oop, they come to Earth planning to take over the planet.
Here’s a simple summary of the prose- The Book That Saved the Earth.
Summary of The Book That Saved the Earth
In the twenty-fifth century, at The Museum of Ancient History, a Historian recounts the tale of Martians who came to Earth in the twentieth century to invade the planet. The play, set during the twentieth century (also known as the Era of the Book), features imaginary characters with unusual names like Mighty Chief Think-Tank, Apprentice Noodle, Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota, and Sergeant Oop.
Think-Tank believes he is the most important and brilliant of all the Martians and decides to visit Earth with his team. He is convinced that his large, balloon-like head makes him the smartest and constantly seeks praise & appreciation for it. He and his team are curious about the lives of Earthlings (people living on Earth) and how they can bring Earth under Martian rule. They soon arrive at the Centerville Public Library, which is filled with books. However, they are unable to understand the purpose of the objects on the shelves.
To show off his intelligence, the mighty Think-Tank tells his team that Earthlings must love eating, so the items on the shelves are probably sandwiches. He then orders Captain Omega, Lieutenant Iota, and Sergeant Oop to eat one of the books. Captain Omega and Lieutenant Iota cleverly pass this task to Sergeant Oop. With no other option, Sergeant Oop takes a bite of the book but finds it tastes terrible. He reports back to Think-Tank that it is not delicious at all. From this, the team realizes that the books are not meant for eating.
After a while, Apprentice Noodle proposes to Think-Tank that perhaps the book is used for communicating with ears. They attempt to listen to the book by holding it close to their ears, but no sound emanates from it. Later, Noodle suggests to Think-Tank that the book may be intended for communicating with eyes. Think-Tank agrees and instructs the entire crew to open and read the book. The book is titled “Mother Goose,” a children’s rhyme book. However, they struggle to understand how to read it.
Quickly, Apprentice Noodle reminds Think-Tank about the vitamin pills from the Mars chemical department meant to enhance the crew’s intelligence. Think-Tank promptly instructs his crew to take the pills. They consume the capsules before attempting to read the book. Shortly after, Sergeant Oop begins reading the nursery rhyme book, and they interpret the lines literally. When he reads the rhyme “Humpty Dumpty,” they all see a picture of Humpty resembling Think-Tank.
Witnessing this, Think-Tank is shocked to realize that Earthlings have already recognized him and are plotting to eliminate him. Based on the information gathered about Earthlings, Think-Tank decides to delay the plan of invading Earth for now. He instructs his Martian crew to swiftly depart from the area without leaving any evidence and evacuate Mars entirely. They are directed to move towards Alpha Centauri, which is a hundred million miles away. Thus, an ancient book of rhymes, Mother Goose, prevented the Martian invasion of Earth.
Conclusion of The Book That Saved the Earth
In the end, realizing their misunderstanding thanks to an old book of rhymes, ‘Mother Goose’, the Martians decided to change their plans about invading Earth. Instead, they quickly left for Alpha Centauri, a really faraway place. This funny mix-up not only stopped a possible fight but also showed how important it is to understand each other well. Earth didn’t even know there was a problem, but this whole thing became a funny story that teaches us how even silly mistakes can change big things. It reminds us to always try to understand each other better to avoid problems. It’s a humorous tale that concludes on a positive note.
We trust that this summary of the CBSE Class 10 English Footprints Without Feet Prose, “The Book That Saved the Earth,” has provided you with a quick grasp of the chapter. Stay connected with GK Publications for the latest updates on CBSE and study materials. Explore sample papers and question papers from various years to enhance your preparation for the Board exams.
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